Rape claim a hoax—police

Press, 24 June 1985, Page 4

Rape claim a hoax—police

PA Auckland Detectives have traced the man who last week claimed to be Mount Eden’s “copy-cat” rapist. But the man, who made the claim in a letter to the “Auckland Star,” now denies any connection with the April 21 sex attack. Detective Sergeant Terry Batchelor said the police had traced the letter to an Auckland man, aged 59. The message appeared to have been a hoax. The police had interviewed the man and checked his alibi. The contents of the letter included: “... I was the rapist. I am now waiting for TVNZ to put on another rape.;, programme with a good'ytwist that is worth

copying.” The man told the police he had followed the news media debate about the link between the Mount Eden rape and a television movie, “The Awakening of Candra.”

When he wrote to the “Star” he posed as the rapist, believing this would add impact to his comments. Detective Sergeant Batchelor said the man was “full of remorse." The police did not intend to charge him. Only hours after the Television screening of the film, a rapist attacked a young woman in Mount Eden, tightened a noose round her neck, and dragged her face down before raping and sodomijing her. y